Andy Ford

Lawmakers gave final approval Thursday to legislation aimed at rolling back testing for public school students in Florida, even as critics argued the wide-ranging measure doesn’t go far enough to ease the burdens of high-stakes exams.

For years, debates about holding Florida teachers and schools accountable followed a predictable pattern: Democrats and teachers unions criticized the plans as being too heavily reliant on standardized testing, while Republicans pushed through the plans and insisted that measuring student progress ensures children will learn. This year, the terms of the debate have changed.

After years of confusion, a measure that would overhaul Florida’s school grading system and get schools ready for new tests is headed to the House floor after receiving overwhelming approval at its final committee stop.

There is another change coming for students in Florida who are already tired of all the statewide standardized tests they have to take every year. Now, Florida’s schools are adopting uniform academic standards shared with most other states.